Articulated support beam



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J. C. REED ARTICULATED SUPPORT BEAM Filed June 13, 1960 Jan. l5, 1963 4ilite States atet 3,973,559 hatented Jan. 15, 1963 This invention relates to an improved support beam and, more particularly, it relates to an articulated support beam whose shape can be temporarily pre-adjusted to facilitate its installation -into relatively inaccessible areas having a limited space in which to maneuver the beam.

The installation of new fixtures and similar improvements during the renovation of old buildings has long presented serious problems to the construction contractor. One serious problem arose from the necessity to install adequate supporting structure for the additional fixtures, Within the walls or ceilings of the existing building strueture, so that the fixtures would =be supported and their load properly distributed to other internal load-carrying members of the building. Heretofore, to position properly this additional fixture-supporting structure required the expensive and time-consuming removal and subsequent replacement of large areas of ceiling or wall covering, in order to gain access to the internal load-carrying members. l

For example, many of the existing oliice buildings utilize standard ceiling construction wherein the original ceiling for all the rooms is formed by small beams of structural steel or channel iron suspended by wires from the main concrete building structure. These suspended beams are tied to metal lathing and wire mesh which provide a surface for pl-astering. If, after this original ceiling has been constructed, it is later desired to mount new lighting fixtures, or to lower the ceiling, or to provide some other means for an overhead support, the original ceiling surface must be penetrated in order to place a supporting-beam above the suspended-beams of the original ceiling, to provide thereby a hanging support of sufficient strength to comply with the standard building codes. l

Prior to the present invention, the standard straight steel supporting-beam member or channel iron was used for support purposes, 'and the limited clearance available above the suspended-beams made it necessary to open 4a large hole in the ceiling surface in order to install the supportbeam in its proper position. This damage to or complete removal of the ceiling amounted to a large cost for installation, since it required extensive replastering, rep-ainting, etc., `after the support-beam finally was in place, .and often required complete rebuilding of an entire ceiling area.

It is therefore yone important object of the present in vention to provide an articulated support-beam which can first be placed in a generally curved configuration and then inserted through a relatively small opening so as to be pla-ced in a load-supporting position within a confined, blind area having limited clearance, to thus eliminate the necessity for removinf7 or damaging a large 'area of the original structure to form the opening.

Another object is to provide a support-beamy which, though bendable to form a generally arcuate shape in one direction, has the equivalent rigidity and strength of a continuous, unarticulated beam of the same cross-section, to resist bending-loads in the opposite direction.

Another object is to provide an articulated supportbeam that is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

Another object is to provide an articulated supportbeam in combination with an Iadjustable support-fitting that is slid-able along the beam so that it can be located at any point Ialong the beam to support la suspended fixture therefrom.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an l yarticulated support-beam which can be pre-set to hold a generally arcuate configuration as it is fed through 'a small opening and then can be manipulated easily into its straight rigid position when within the confined area, to assume its load-supporting position.

According to one 'embodiment of my invention, the

- foregoing objects are fulfilled by Ia novel composite beam which -is formed from a series of short interconnected beam segments of extruded or sheet-metal material. The segments are joined end-to-end by a hinging, pivotal connection in such a rnv-ander that they can be pre-set manually in a predetermined angular relationship so that the beam is -bent in a semi-rigid arcuate shape during its installation. After the curved beam has been inserted through .a small opening and conveniently maneuvered into position Within the confined, blind area, the beam segments are snapped into -alignment by manual manipulation of the Ibeam lfrom the end thereof. In the `aligne-d position with their rigid load-resisting connections between them nearest the opening, the beam segments form a straight, rigid, load-carrying beam. A hanging receptacle is attached to the beam and adjustable along the length of the beam so that it can be located at the sm-all opening through which the beam is installed. A fixture then may be attached to this receptacle, which fully covers the access-opening in the ceiling, and thus lthe need for extensive rebuilding of the ceiling has been eliminated.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the lfollowing description, `and from the drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a view in elevation of `a ceiling structure with a beam according to the present invention, being installed through a small opening -in the ceiling;

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation of the ceiling structure shown in FIG. l, with the beam in its rigid supporting position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view in elevation and in crosssection, taken along the line 3-3 of the beam shown lin FIG. 2, showing the fixture-receptacle in detail;

FIG. 4 is ia plan view showing end-portions oftwo adjoining beam segments in the Ialigned position;

FIG. 5 lis a fragmentary view in perspective showing theadjoining beam segments of FIG. 4 in a non-aligned position; 1

FIG. 6 is a view in elevation and in cross-section of a modified form of fixture-receptacle; and

FIG. 7 is a view in elevation Iand in cross-section taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

In broad terms, my novel articulated beam, as shown in FIGS. l and 2, comprises a series of similar beam segments 11 which are cut to a predetermined length and joined end-to-end by hinged connections 12 to form a continuous-beam structure. The segments 11 are interconnected so that each segment 11 can be moved to an angular position relative to its adjoined member and will hold this position so that the entire beam 10 can assume a generally curved configuration (FIG. l) to enable its manipulation through an opening 13 into a confined area 14. After being positioned, the segments 11 of the beam I@ are snapped into alignment and, in that position, they lie across support-beams 15 of the original building struc- Although I have shown the beam 1t) as made up of three connected segments 11, any number of segments can be used to form beams of various lengths. Length of segments and the number used to form the beam are dependent upon the requirements of the particular installation, with regard for such factors as the distance between supports for the beam and the relative diiculty of installing the beam on those supports. i

The beam segments 11 are formed from mild steel or a suitable structural beam material and, as shown in FIGS. 3-7, each segment 11 has a channelled cross-section with opposite ilanges 19, 2% which are connected by a back-web member 21. Other beam cross-sections could be used to form an articulated beam, utilizing some basic principles of the present invention; but I have found that the channelled section is particularly well-adapted for this purpose. The size of the channel used, including the thickness of the material, can be the same as would be used on a straight one-piece beam, since my articulated beam is equal in strength to the straight beam.

To interconnect the beam segments 11, the tlanges 19 ment 11a having a normal width. The extended end-pori tion 23 is slightly greater in its width between the outside surfaces of the flanges 19 and 20 than the distance between the inside surfaces of the ilanges 19a and 20a and the adjoining segment lla, so that the extended end-portion 23 of the segment 11 forms a slight interference-fit when nested in the adjoining segment member 11a. This interference between the flanges 19', 19a, and 20a of adjoining segments 11 and 11a provides a nominal friction force that serves to maintain the segments in a set angular posil tion relative to one another when they are moved to such i a position, and until they are acted upon by some other external force to snap them into alignment. When the adjoining segments 11 and 11a are completely parallel, the extended end-portion 23 is nested within the end 24 of the adjoining segment 11a and if a downward force is applied to either of the two adjoining segments 11 or 11a they will remain in alignment and the `force'will be distributed all along4 the beam 10, as if the beam were a rigid, one-piece section.

At the wide end 24 of each segment 11a there is a cutout-portion in the back-web 21 leaving extended angeportions 26 and 27 of the flanges 19a and 20a through which the hinge-means 12 is attached. This cutout-portion allows the adjoining segments 11 and 11a to move, relative to each other, while avoiding interference by the back-web 21 of the inner-segment 11, as shown in FIG. 5. By cutting the back web 21a of the end 24 of the adjoining segment 11a an amount equal to approximately the width of the segment-flanges 19 an-d 2l), almost 90 of angular ldisplacement can be obtained between adjoining segments 11 and 11a. With this range of movement between the `segments 11 and 11a, the beam 10 can be given any shape necessary to accomplish its positioning within a confined area.

To provide a hinge-means for the adjoining beam segments 11 and 11a, I prefer to use connecting-rivets 12, although other equivalent means could be used. Each rivet 12 is installed through an extended flange-portion 26 or 27 on the end 24 of the outside segment 11a and passes through the flanges 19, 20 of the inside nestedsegment 11. The rivets 12 on both sides of the nested segments 11, 11a may be of any suitable type and are aligned on an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the beam.

A locking means is provided between each of the adjoining segments 11 and 11a to assure rigidity of the beam 16 in the aligned position. I may use, a dimple or detent 30 near the end of the inner-nested end-portion 22, which becomes aligned with a mating dfetent 31 on llange 20 of the end 24 ofthe segment 11a.

An important feature of my novel hanging supportbeam is the adjustable hanging receptacle 17, which is shown in one form, in detail, in FIG. 3. As adapted for use in combination with beam 10, having the channel cross-section, receptacle 17 comprises generally a sleeve 32 having a rectangular cross-section which lits over the beam 10 with a relatively loose, freely slidable fit. Attached to the sleeve 32, as by welding, is a cylindrical boss 33 which is internally threaded to receive an attaching iixture bracket 18.

In the embodiment of the receptacle 17 shown in FIG. 3, an opening 35 is provided in sleeve 32 within the area on the sleeve 32 covered by the boss 33, so that the xturebracket 18 can be threaded-up to engage the web 21 of the beam-segment 11, and thus x the location of the sleeve 32 to a predetermined position thereon.

Where a iixture-bracket 13 of suicient length is not available, a set-screw 29 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 may be provided to position the receptacle-sleeve 32 longitudinally on the beam 10.

The operation of my novel support-beam 10 may best be understood by reference to FIGS. l and 2. Here is shown typical hung ceiling structure as used in building construction. Essentially, it comprises a reinforced concrete ilooring 36 with integral concrete beams 37 which contributed greatly to the extreme ditliculty of installing support-beams, prior to the present invention. From the structural concrete flooring 36 are suspended embedded wires 38 to which are attached the supported channel- Ibeams 15 and tied across the underside of the beams 15 are metal lathings 39, to which usually are attached wiremesh 40 and then plaster 41 to form the original finished ceiling 42. With this typical ceiling structure, and with other, similar structure, the standard ybuilding code requires that a support-beam 10 be installed on top of the suspended beams 15, in order to support adequately a tixture 16. To use an ordinary straight-section of supportbeam would require removal of a large portion of ceiling (i.e., plaster and mesh) to install the beam in its proper position on top of the suspended beams 15. However, this expensive, time-consuming process is not necessary with the present invention.

Using my novel, articulated beam 10, the opening 13 is made at the exact location where the fixture 16 is to be installed, as shown in FIG. l. Segments 11 of the beam 10 are moved to an angular position relative to each other, so that a generally-curved beam 10 is so formed; the friction between the nested flanges 19, 20 and 19a, 29a of the adjoining segments 11 and 11a serves to maintain the relative position of the segments as the beam 10 is moved upward into the opening 13. As the beam 10 passes into the confined area 14, it may hit obstructions (such as the concrete beam 37) and, when necessary, the relative positions of the segments 11 can be altered by movement from the end of the beam 10, until the entire beam is within the contines of the ceiling. The beam 10 then is snapped into its aligned position and backed up until both ends are supported by suspended-beams 15. The adjustable receptacle 17 then is positioned within the center of the opening 13 and tightened, either by the xture-bracket 18 or by a set-screw 29. The xture 16 then can attached to the threaded bosses 33, while covering the opening 13 as shown in FIG. 2.

Where it is impractical for the worker installing the beam 10 to reach his hand through the opening 13 to manipulate the beam into position, the fixture-bracket 18 can be attached to receptacle 17 as shown in FIG. 3 and initially tightened against the beam-web 21, to provide the worker with a handle by which to maneuver the beam 10 from outside the opening 13. After the beam 10 is up inside the ceiling 42. it then can be backed into position by alternately gripping and releasing the beam 10 with the lxture-bracket 18. When the beam 10 and its receptacle 17 are in the desired position, the xturebracket 1S then can be tightened and the fixture 16 conveniently installed.

Thus, it is apparent from the above that the present invention provides a unique supporting-beam which is unusually strong, reliable, and yet deformable temporarily to a shape which enables its installation in extremely coniined and partially obstructed areas. The invent-ion, therefore, is highly useful in situations which heretofore required the expensive tearing out and subsequent replacing of ceiling or wall structure.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely diiering embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and -scope of the invention. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and not intended to be in any way limiting.

I claim:

1. A sectional structural beam for supporting a fixture in an opening formed in a pre-constructed ceiling, said opening being slightly larger than the cross section of said beam, said beam comprising: a series of connected longitudinal members, each of said members having a channel cross-section with a main web and side flanges extending therefrom, said side anges on each said member being bent slightly inwardly toward each other for a predetermined distance from the end of each member so that the bent-in portion of one end of each member will nest snugly within an opposite end-portion of an adjoining outer member; hinge means connecting each two said adjoining members, said hinge means being located near the extreme end of the said outer member and connected to the anges of said nested inner member at substantially said predetermined distance from the end of said inner member so that an end-portion of each said inner member is nested within each said outer member with its back web adjacent the back web of Said outer member when the beam is in its straight, rigid, load-carrying position; friction means on said anges near said hinge means for lholding said connected longitudinal members in a temporarily fixed angular position relative to each adjoining member, said friction means being yieldable in response to a downward `force exerted on one of said longitudinal members to bring said longitudinal members into alignment, whereby said sectional beam may be manipulated to a predetermined shape by movement of each member relative to its adjoining member to facilitate the installation of the beam into an area of limited clearance, after which said beam `can be placed in its rigid position to support a load.

2. The device described in claim 1 including in combination a hanger support means on said beam, being slidable thereon, boss means for connecting a fixture to said hanger support means at a iixed position on said beam, and for maneuvering said beam into position within said ceiling. j

3. A composite structural beam comprising: a plurality of similar longitudinal adjoining sections, each 'of said sections having a channel cross-section with a main web and side anges extending therefrom at substantially right angles, said side iianges on each said section being deformed slightly at one end so that a predetermined portion of each section can nest snugly within an opposite end-portion of an adjoining similar section; hinge means connecting each two adjoining sections, the axis of said hinge means being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said nested sections and located near the extreme end of each outer section to `connect the anges of said nested inner and outer sections so that said predetermined portion `of each said inner member is nested within each said outer member with its back web adjacent the back web of said outer -inember when the beam is in its straight, rigid, load-carrying position; friction means provided by said flanges near said hinge means for hoiding said connecting longitudinal sections in a temporarily xed angular position relative to each adjoining section, said friction means being yieldable in response to a downward force exerted on one of said longitudinal sections to bring said longitudinal sections into alignment; hanger support means on said beam and slidable along the complete length of said beam and over said hinge means; said hanger means having means `for suspending a fixture from said beam; where- Eby said beam may be manipulated to a predetermined shape by movement of each section relative to its adjoining section to vfacilitate the installation of said beam into a confinedv area of limited clearance, after which said beam ,can be placed in its rigid position to support said fixture. y

4. The device described in claim 3 wherein said hanger support means comprises a sleeve member having a rectangular cross-section larger than the cross-section of said beam so .as to provide an easily slidable clearance there with, an internally threaded cylindrical boss attached to said sleeve and means for iixing said hanger support means at a predetermined position along said beams.

References Eited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,100,437 Lutz et al Tune 16,

1,927,515 y Eastman Sept. 19, 1933 2,276,256 Visness et al. Mar. 10, 1942 2,718,407 AWelsh Sept. 20, 1955 2,930,564 Maier Mar. 29, 1960 

1. A SECTIONAL STRUCTURAL BEAM FOR SUPPORTING A FIXTURE IN AN OPENING FORMED IN A PRE-CONSTRUCTED CEILING, SAID OPENING BEING SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THE CROSS SECTION OF SAID BEAM, SAID BEAM COMPRISING: A SERIES OF CONNECTED LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING A CHANNEL CROSS-SECTION WITH A MAIN WEB AND SIDE FLANGES EXTENDING THEREFROM, SAID SIDE FLANGES ON EACH SAID MEMBER BEING BENT SLIGHTLY INWARDLY TOWARD EACH OTHER, FOR A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM THE END OF EACH MEMBER SO THAT THE BENT-IN PORTION OF ONE END OF EACH MEMBER WILL NEST SNUGLY WITHIN AN OPPOSITE END-PORTION OF AN ADJOINING OUTER MEMBER; HINGE MEANS CONNECTING EACH TWO SAID ADJOINING MEMBERS, SAID HINGE MEANS BEING LOCATED NEAR THE EXTREME END OF THE SAID OUTER MEMBER AND CONNECTED TO THE FLANGES OF SAID NESTED INNER MEMBER AT SUBSTANTIALLY SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM THE END OF SAID INNER MEMBER SO THAT AN END-PORTION OF EACH SAID INNER MEMBER IS NESTED WITHIN EACH SAID OUTER MEMBER WITH ITS BACK WEB ADJACENT THE BACK WEB OF SAID OUTER MEMBER WHEN THE BEAM IS IN ITS STRAIGHT, RIGID, LOAD-CARRYING POSITION; FRICTION MEANS ON SAID FLANGES NEAR SAID HINGE MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID CONNECTED LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS IN A TEMPORARILY FIXED ANGULAR POSITION RELATIVE TO EACH ADJOINING MEMBER, SAID FRICTION MEANS BEING YIELDABLE IN RESPONSE TO A DOWNWARD FORCE EXERTED ON ONE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS TO BRING SAID LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS INTO ALIGNMENT, WHEREBY SAID SECTIONAL BEAM MAY BE MANIPULATED TO A PREDETERMINED SHAPE BY MOVEMENT OF EACH MEMBER RELATIVE TO ITS ADJOINING MEMBER TO FACILITATE THE INSTALLATION OF THE BEAM INTO AN AREA OF LIMITED CLEARANCE, AFTER WHICH SAID BEAM CAN BE PLACED IN ITS RIGID POSITION TO SUPPORT A LOAD. 